Electric switch box

ABSTRACT

The present invention refers to an electric switch box, in which the combination of the parts which make it up allow upon its connection the functioning of the same in an effective and practical manner, due to a male section constructed of an insulating element, at the sides of which are placed conducting elements, which at a given time may operate one in substitution of the other; and a female section made up of a cabinet and various contact elements, which will house the male elements, thereby attaining the functioning of the switch box.

United States Patent [1 1 Castro-Genera Dec. 23, 1975 1 ELECTRIC SWITCH BOX [76] Inventor: Jorge Castro-Genera, Escobedo Sur 733 Suite 201, Monterrey, Nueva Leon, Mexico [22] Filed: Apr. 26, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 464,517

[52] US. Cl. 337/295; 337/159; 337/290 [51] Int. C1. HOIH 85/04 [58] Field of Search 337/159, 186, 194, 202, 337/227, 236, 237, 242, 245

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,157,777 5/1939 Stoffel 337/242 2,175,919 10/1939 Schi1ler.... 337/242 2,909,630 10/1959 Palmer 337/290 X 3,416,114 12/1968 Bernutz et a1. 337/293 3,500,462 3/1970 Taormina et a1. 337/295 X 3,800,259 3/1974 Humphreys 337/245 Primary Examiner-J. D. Miller Assistant ExaminerFred E. Bell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Laurence R. Brown [57] ABSTRACT The present invention refers .to an electric switch box, in which the combination of the parts which make it up allow upon its connection the functioning of the same in an effective and practical manner, due to a male section constructed of an insulating element, at the sides of which are placed conducting elements,

' which at a given time may operate one in substitution of the other; and a female section made up of a cabinet and various contact elements, which will house the male elements, thereby attaining the functioning of the switch box.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing, Figures US. Patent Dec.23, 1975 Sheet10f4 3,928,835

US. Patent Dec.23,1975 Sheet2of4 3,928,835

US. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,928,835

US Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet4of4 3,928,835

Fig.7

I ELECTRIC swrr cn BOX The present invention refers to an electric switch box, in which the combination of the parts which make it up. allow upon its connection the functioning of the same in an effective and practical manner, due to a male section constructed of an insulating element, at the sides of which are placed conducting elements, which at a given time may operate one in substitution of the other; and a female section made up of a cabinet and various contact elements, whichwill house the male elements, thereby attaining the functioning of the switch box. I E

The purpose of the present invention is on one hand, to avoid the inconveniences which to date are presented by the multiple gamut of fuses and fuse boxes known in the electric industry; and on the other hand, provide a safe means for the handling of the switch box, object of the present invention, even by those persons who because of their ignorance of the electrical matters, at a given time find themselves in need of personally making the replacement of fuses, something which cannot be denied, happens frequently in the totality of the domestic medium mainly.

Another purpose of the present invention, is to provide immediately and on sight, an objective and clear notice to the person who is going to effect the fuse change when it has blown out, which is the destroyed element. Another advantage of the present invention is that the male section immediately provides a connection element through which the current is restored until the moment when that male section is totally substituted for another one which has both its conducting elements complete.

The characteristic details of the present invention are clearly demonstrated in the following description and in the accompanying drawings as an illustration of it and the same reference symbols serving to indicate the same parts in the shown figures.

FIG. 1, shows a side view of the male section.

FIG. 2, shows a cross section of the male section.

FIG. 3, shows an isometric view of the female section.

FIG. 4, shows an upper view in cross section of the female part.

FIG. 5, shows a conventional perspective of the female sections and the male sections in the process of fitting.

FIG. 6, shows a view of the nucleus-surface unit of contact.

FIG. 7, shows an electric diagram of a section of the primary circuit and the secondary circuit.

With reference to said figures, this switch box is formed by the combination of a female section characterized by an isolating element 1 which would generally be manufactured of plastic, but which may be manufactured of any other insulating material, which consists of a frontal wedge 2, which joins a posterior wedge 3 by means of a brace 4, in such a manner that said unit turns out to be narrower in its middle part than its extremes.

Joined to the posterior wedge 3 is found, making up one single unit with the insulating element 1, a handle 5 which is also insulated.

To the sides of the insulating element 1 and joined to it with glue or any other appropiate medium including those of insertion, are found the conducting elements 6 which may also be manufactured of any other appropiate material, and which in their shape assume precisely the lines which follow the frontal wedge 2, the posterior wedge 3 and the brace 4.

The female section is characterized by the combination of a box 7 in the interior of which is housed a unit 8 to the sides of which are found lock springs 9 which operate through pressure'of springs 10 which resting its base (10a) on the internal part of the unit 8, push out the lock springs 9 with the purpose that these in turn exert pressure on the male section towards the reception contact surfaces 11 and the conduction surfaces 12, with the purpose being that the conducting elements 6 establish complete contact with all of the reception contact surface 11 and the conducting surface 12 in such a manner that a bridge be established between the reception surface 11 and the conduction surface 12.

Placed at both sides of the unit 8 are found the reception section 11 and of transferencia 12 which are made up of a nucleus 13 of insulating material, around which is found a metalic belt which would be the one to establish contact with the conducting elements of the male section, thus allowing the conducting bridge. The reception surfaces 11 have connection elements 14 to which are attached the cables coming from the source of power and at the same time, the conduction surfaces 12 shall have connecting elements 15 from which would go the cables which would later conduct the current.

The box 7 has slits 16 in which it would be possible to plug in the male elements, which running along the ducts 17 shall penetrate and be housed pressured on one side by the lock springs 9, establishing firm contact with the contact surfaces 11 and 12, in such a manner that upon attaining complete penetration the male section the circuit would remain closed between the power source and the conducting lines.

It should be noted that only one side of the male section bridges the reception contact surfaces 11 and of conduction surfaces 12, therefore, when an extraordinary load forces through a current superior to the resistance of the conducting element 6 in functioning, it would burn out opening the circuitimmediately because of the bridge destruction; upon such happening, due to the bridge destruction 18 and as a consequence of a secondary circuit constituted by resistances 19 and a pilot light 20, the current coming from the power source 21 shall flow towards the charge which exists at that moment and that would precisely be the pilot light 20 lighting the same; it is important to note that as long as a bridge exists 18 between the reception contact surface 11 and that of conduction surfaces. 12, the current shall follow the conduction line which gives it the least resistance, in this case the line of conduction 12 due precisely to the existence of the resistance 19 of the secondary circuit, but when the bridge 18 disappears, the current shall necessarily follow towards the charge existing at the moment, the pilot light 20; this happening shall immediately permit one to know which is the malfunctioning section, in such circumstances the only thing to be done is to take out the male section from the duct 17 and turning the male section on the same axis allow the contact element which is complete to restore conduction.

It is not the intention of my principal to limit his invention to the described forms and figures, but to uous electric circuit, a fusible element, comprising in combination, a male member formed of a flat longitudinal insulating member having a frontal wedge, a posterior wedge, a thinner brace section spaced therebetween, an insulating handle about one end constituting one of said wedges, and a thin conducting layer affixed on at least one side of said insulating member to constitute substantially the same shape as said flat member.

-2. A fusible element as defined in claim 1, wherein separate conducting layers are affixed on opposite sides of said insulating member, to thereby constitute two separate fusible elements which can be used in a receptacle contacting said wedges on only one side thereof by turning said insulating member over.

3. A female receptacle box for receiving at least one said fusible element as defined in claim 1 in conductive registration therein comprising in combination, an insulated housing having a female slot therein to receive said male fusible element, a set of spaced conductors mounted inside said slot disposed to register with said frontal and posterior wedges of said male member and having adapter members thereon to connect said spaced conductors respectively to a pair of electrical circuit wires, and spring means mounted in a position to engage said flat male member on one side and urge its said conductive surface disposed on the opposite side into conductive contact with said set of spaced conductors. 

1. For use in an electric switch box defining a continuous electric circuit, a fusible eleMent, comprising in combination, a male member formed of a flat longitudinal insulating member having a frontal wedge, a posterior wedge, a thinner brace section spaced therebetween, an insulating handle about one end constituting one of said wedges, and a thin conducting layer affixed on at least one side of said insulating member to constitute substantially the same shape as said flat member.
 2. A fusible element as defined in claim 1, wherein separate conducting layers are affixed on opposite sides of said insulating member, to thereby constitute two separate fusible elements which can be used in a receptacle contacting said wedges on only one side thereof by turning said insulating member over.
 3. A female receptacle box for receiving at least one said fusible element as defined in claim 1 in conductive registration therein comprising in combination, an insulated housing having a female slot therein to receive said male fusible element, a set of spaced conductors mounted inside said slot disposed to register with said frontal and posterior wedges of said male member and having adapter members thereon to connect said spaced conductors respectively to a pair of electrical circuit wires, and spring means mounted in a position to engage said flat male member on one side and urge its said conductive surface disposed on the opposite side into conductive contact with said set of spaced conductors. 